New Zealand cancels community cricket due to coronavirus

Wellington, March 18:  The New Zealand cricket board on Wednesday cancelled community cricket, including clubs and schools, for the rest of the season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Club cricket in New Zealand usually runs until late March.

"New Zealand Cricket, in conjunction with its Major and District Associations, have agreed to cancel community cricket, including clubs, schools, programmes and training, for the rest of the season," said NZC in an official statement.

"This decision follows our most recent medical advice and recognises our obligations towards the New Zealand cricket family and the wider public interest," it added.

The decision comes two days after the final two rounds of the Plunket Shield tournament were cancelled.

Last week, New Zealand's ODI series against Australia was called off after the first match, as was India's ODI series against South Africa. Both series were to be held behind closed doors. England also postponed their two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, while the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was due to start on March 29, was suspended till April 15.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then decided to postpone their World Test Championship Test and lone ODI against Bangladesh and on Tuesday, they called off the semifinals and the finals of the Pakistan Super League after a foreign player was suspected to have COVID-19 virus.

Australia and South Africa have also cancelled all their domestic cricket tournaments amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak which has claimed over 7,000 lives across the world.